Columbus school levy will bring changes we need now

I want to publicly thank and sing the praises of the teachers, staff, children and families of Columbus City Schools.

I want to publicly thank and sing the praises of the teachers, staff, children and families of Columbus City Schools.

I should have done this six years ago, when we first enrolled our son in Kindergarten at Avalon Elementary. I drove up to Avalon and was greeted by the principal when I asked for an “experienced” teacher for my child.

Understanding my obvious frustration, she smiled politely and personally walked me down to the kindergarten hall. She introduced me to two of the five kindergarten teachers and made me feel like I was the only parent who mattered at that moment — because I was. She treated everyone that way.

As the years have gone by, I have been astonished at how hard the staff and teachers work. Every year, I have watched children come in speaking absolutely no English or parents come to school the first time speaking little to no English while their 5-year-olds translate.

There are a number of religions, cultures and ethnicities represented. It is a rich environment for learning.

Teachers are working overtime each and every day to make sure children get proper translations, referrals to gifted classes or special accommodations if needed.

They face lockdowns, overcrowding, old facilities, little to no extra funds for special projects or supplies and a bias from many of their peers and/or family members who wrongly tell them Columbus is a reprehensible district.

The loyalty and courage it takes for the staff, teachers, students and their families to participate in a system that never seems to get extra funding or encouragement is daunting. Yet, there is a spirit of camaraderie that we are in this together. Even if we are forced to come up with funds on our own to revamp our 30-year-old playground or come up with a volunteer maintenance team to help our janitor with much-needed repairs within the old building or get a computer smaller than a refrigerator for each classroom, then, by George, that’s what we’re going to do.

We don’t have the luxury of sitting back and waiting for a better levy to come along in a year or two or 10. Our kids are there now. And they need current tools and a safe environment to learn and grow.

I certainly don’t have all the answers, and I’d change some things in Issues 50 & 51, but I know that I love the teamwork of a school system that is working so hard to make a difference in children’s lives and to help families that want a good education for their children. Issues 50 and 51 will help those teachers, families and children.